Late August 2021 - Kayaking; Killeen Texas

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Through the Pickleball group we belong to, Nicida found a contact for a kayaking group within our city.  The group has a list of 50+ kayakers but like most other groups a smaller percentage of members are actually regularly active.  After trading several emails and determining that group emails headed directly to my trash we got on the list in time for a morning paddling trip on Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

16 of us meet at the appointed place.  Everybody knows each other; being new we have a bunch of names to remember, not good for people with good; but short memories.

Arriving at the launching point we pull out our kayaks.  Everyone is interested in seeing how we turn a 33” x 14” x 29” box into a 12’ long x 25” wide kayak.  After kayaking on our recent trip we feel confident we can get them put together in a reasonable amount of time.  I never remember to look at the time we start so I still can’t say how long it takes.  All I can say is some of the group is already paddling with a few others launching along with us.

Howie, the lead person for this expedition, warns us about an alligator recently seen in the area.  I am not certain if he is pulling our leg or if it is real.  In my mind it seems improbable alligators live around here given the extreme cold we endured this past winter.  We take him at his word keeping our body parts within our kayaks.  Once we get home I Google alligators and Stillhouse Hollow Lake finding there are indeed alligators in the area.

We haven’t paddled for the past few weeks so we have to refresh our brain on the strokes.  Howie notices we are novices, providing advice on improving our technique.  I am good for about a dozen strokes before falling back into my usual stroke.  Nicida is much the same.  Today’s paddle is about two hours so we will have plenty of time working out the kinks.  After a short time we are bringing up the rear, partly due to our strokes, partly due to stopping to shoot a few images.  I am using my phone for images; I’m not ready to chance my Canon DSLR to my kayaking capabilities.

Our goal is to paddle up Trimmier Creek.  We come across a wide patch of Hydrilla, a prolific weed occupying this portion of the lake.  Howie powers his way across the island of weeds before emerging into open water flowing from Trimmier Creek.  We follow along, pulling up weed covered paddles.  Shallow paddling eases our battle with the weeds.  Once in the creek we spot egrets feeding in the marshy areas.  Limestone ledges line the edges of the creek.  We hear an occasional car passing on a bridge but otherwise it feels like we are miles away from the big city.  We also see areas of trash along the shoreline; including several of the residential trash bins probably swept away during one of the drenching rain storms we experienced earlier this year.

Heading back we are reminded we really have to work on our paddling.  We are working away moving fairly well only to be passed by most of the other kayakers seemingly paddling quite easily.

Back on shore we pack up our kayaks ready to enjoy lunch at the Shed Restaurant.  We enjoy burgers while visiting with our fellow kayakers.

This group gets together every week – we may not make it every week but we will become better kayakers as we go.

Thank you for stopping by,

Mark